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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

SLC Book Festival

While so many of you were reading your hearts out this weekend with the Readathon, I was in Salt Lake City with Candleman and my daughter Katie, attending the annual Book Festival. This is my 3rd year to attend and I've loved every time. Things were a bit different this year with 2 people presenting together for each discussion. I wasn't sure I would like that but I did. All three presentations were wonderful. In the past there are usually 2 days of presentations - this year it was Saturday only and most of the presentations were in the afternoon.

We left home in the morning driving to SLC by way of Provo so we could have an early lunch at Zupas. I love their mushroom soup and mango/berry salad. I've only eaten there 2 times and ordered the same things. If only I lived closer I could eat there more often and try some of their other soups. We arrived at the beautiful SLC Library about 12:30 which allowed us time to look through some of the shops set up for the Festival.

The first session I attended alone while Candleman and Katie were out doing some shopping. I wished everyone I knew could have been in that room with me as Carlotta Walls Lanier graciously told of her high school experiences as one of the Little Rock Nine. Her book is A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School. After hearing Carlotta recount her story I rushed out to buy her book forgetting they were all taken down to the signing. I rushed to the signing but they ran out of books so I didn't get one. I really wanted one that was signed so I am really sad that didn't go straight to the signing. I'm still going to buy the book because I was so touched by the story. There were so many things I didn't know about the nine Little Rock African Americans marching into that all-white high school.
My second session was to hear Allison Hoover Bartlett, author of the The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, and SLC's own rare book collector and dealer turned amateur detective, Sam Weller. It was really fun and I look forward to this nonfiction book about the world of theft in the rare book world.

Candleman, Katie and I went together to hear Shannon Hale and Sara Zarr. It was fun to listen to them talking, laughing and sparring with each other. They are both so cute and funny, imaginative and creative. It was a delight to be there and they gave some good advise to future writers which both hubby and daughter appreciated.

Candleman bought 3 books for Katie - the one Shannon Hale book she didn't already own, The Housewife and the Actor, and two books by Zarr who is a new-to-us Utah author, Story of a Girl and Once Was Lost.

It was a wonderful day and we decided that we were definitely going to attend next year even if we didn't know any of the authors. It was such a worthwhile experience.

I feel so bad I had to work and missed this. Shannon Hale is so fun to listen to. The interview is great, btw. Cassie and I went last year and I got a romance novel just for commenting during the author's presentation. It was pretty good for a romance. Maybe I can go next year.